WOMEN’S WOMEN’S
A R T S
A R T S C A P E
HUMANITY HUMANITY
FESTIVAL FESTIVAL
1 - 31 AUGUST 2023
EXHIBITORS & STAKEHOLDERS
SPONSORS & PARTNERS
Artscape
D.F. Malan Street, Foreshore, Cape Town, 8001 | P O Box 4107, Cape Town, 8000 Tel: +27 21 4109800 | +27 21 421 5448 | [email protected] | www.artscape.co.za
Booking Information
Artscape Box Office, Computicket outlets and credit card telephone bookings Dial-a-Seat: +27 21 421 7695 | Box Office Enquiries: +27 21 421 7839
Mondays to Fridays: 09:00 – 17:00 | Saturdays: 09:00 – 12:30 FOR THIS PROJECT
Senior Project Manager: Debbie Damons|Project Manager Arena Stage Productions: Thandi Mlungwana Project Manager Theatre Stage Productions: Tania Williams-Kaponda
Projects Marketing Coordinator: Toberin Meyer | Logistics: Charles Banjatwa Publicity: Berniece Friedmann and Belinda Jackson | Administration & Logistics: Yolanda Smith
ARTSCAPE COUNCIL MEMBERS
Mr Rajesh Jock (Chairperson) | Ms Ndileka Lerato Manana | Ms Karen Meiring Mr Mongezi Menye | Ms Xoliswa Ndudeni-Ngema | Mr Mpho Jerry Pooe | Mr Philip van Ryneveld
ARTSCAPE THEATRE CENTRE MANAGEMENT
CEO: Marlene Le Roux | CFO: Vernon van der Linde | Director Operations: Marius Golding Company Secretary: Ilze De Wet Senior Manager Human Resources: Lungisani Nkomo
Senior Manager Marketing & Communications: Simone Heradien Senior Manager Business Services: André Steenveld
PROGRAMME
MILESTONES: Celebrating, Supporting and Empowering Women of Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow
Celebrating, Supporting and Empowering
Women of Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow
City of Cape Town | The Swedish Embassy | RKP Attorneys INC / WOZA | CANSA | Smart Business I AM Women Zone | HB Entrepreneur School (‘Her Own Business’ Entrepreneur School) | Amy Foundation The 1000 Women Trust | HB Entrepreneur School | POWER (Propogation of Women’s Empowerment Resources)
Rusana Philander Photography | Gain Through Giving | Bonteheuwel Walking Ladies | Cape Whalers Field Band South Roots International Band | The Women’s Circle | IseeU | Asijiki Coalition
Western Cape First Nations Collective | Lief en Leed | District Six Museum Seven Steps Club
INTERFAITH LEADERS
Fatima Allie – (Language and Cultural Activist)
Eugene Peffer - (Ordained Minister – Currently with Disability Connection, an NGO to people with disabilities) Laurie Gaum - (Queer Minister of religion facilitating workshops in gender sexuality and spirituality) Pastor Aaron Messelaar - (Deputy Secretary-General of the Congress of Traditional Leaders of South Africa
and the Head of Administration of the Griqua Royal House)
DATE
Tues 1 August Wed 2 August Thurs 3 August Fri 4 August Sat 5 August
Sun 6 August Tues 8 August
Wed 9 August
Fri 11 August Sat 12 August
Mon 14 August Tues 15 August Wed 16 August Thurs 17 August Fri 18 August Sat 19 August Sat 26 August
Sun 27 August
TIME
08h30 19h00 19h00 19h00 10h30 – 14h00
15h00 & 19h00 15h00 - 17h00 11h00 - 12h00
09h00 09h00 09h30 09h45 10h00 11h00 11h00 12h00 14h00 15h00 18h30 19h00 10h30 - 12h30 14h00 - 16h00
19h00 20h00 20h00 20h00 16h00 / 20h00 20h00 16h00 / 20h00 10h30 - 12h30 10h30 - 12h30 15h00
VENUE
Artscape Arena Arena Arena
Innovation Lounge
Arena
Women Zone Library Theatre
Marble Extension Foyer
& Piazza Chandelier Foyer Piazza Piazza Start at Piazza Ends at Piazza Piazza FMR 101.3 Arena Theatre Arena Theatre
Woman Zone Library Woman Zone Library
Theatre Arena Arena Arena Arena Arena Arena
Innovation Lounge isiBaya
Gugu S’Thebe
DESCRIPTION
Cape Chamber of Commerce Coffee Club
My Kroon Se Krank My Kroon Se Krank - Community performance My Kroon Se Krank Festival Launch
Fatima Dike @75 - Celebration of a Life in Theatre
My Kroon Se Krank Knit & Natter – Stitch-Along 1000 WOMEN
celebrating 20 years Intro entertainment by Women Unite Exhibitors
CANSA Health Screenings
Cape Whalers Field Band Inter-faith Blessing Humanity Walk Humanity Walk
South Roots International FMR Womens Day Programme Do Not Fear the Past Dope Saint Jude Do Not Fear the Past ABFAB Drag Book Launch -
W for Witness Karen Lazar The Story Club hosted by Balisa Nathi storytellers, Philippa Kabali-Kagwa and Nolubabalo Rani ABFAB Drag He Had It Coming He Had It Coming He Had It Coming He Had It Coming He Had It Coming He Had It Coming Sindiwe Magona @80 – Celebration of a Life in Writing IseeU mentoring programme presentation
FMR Community Concert Langa
Anroux Marais
Minister of Cultural Affairs and Sport, Western Cape Government Welcome to this very important and exciting festival!
The Western Cape Government recognizes the importance of the arts in empowering people in our province, but especially in empowering female artists. This women’s month, we celebrate women in the arts who doing wonderful things – those who are breaking barriers, who are raising their voices and telling their own stories. This festival will give an opportunity for
women to showcase their talents, and to celebrate the work being done by women in the industry.
As we look at ways of growing our local industry to be able to create more jobs for growth, we must acknowledge the role that the performing arts plays in helping us strengthen our economy – through creating job opportunities at our theatres, to supporting female artists in their work. The arts environ- ment also creates an important safe space for women and girls to tell their own stories, and to get support and help if needed.
Thank you to Artscape for celebrating this important month and also for supporting female artists throughout the year. The work you are doing creates an important platform for women’s voices to be heard, and we appreciate all that you do.
Please enjoy the festival and help us celebrate all women in our province!
Geordin Hill-Lewis
Cape Town Mayor
It’s great to welcome back the Women’s Humanity Arts Festival to Cape Town’s Artscape Theatre. For 2023, this festival is about “celebrating, sup- porting and empowering” women through art, and they have put together a festival programme that truly has something for everyone.
For the month of August, Capetonians and visitors to the Mother City will be treated to exhibitions, plays, music performances, book launches and even a
“Knit & Natter Stitch-Along” where you can take part in scarf knitting for a good cause. I am told they will teach you how to knit or crochet if you don’t already know how.
I commend Artscape and the organisers of the festival for the wonderful work they do – not only in raising the profile of women artists and performers in Cape Town, but also for using this powerful platform to speak to many about society’s pressing issues through the mediums of art, drama, music and literature.
This may be a Women’s Humanity Festival, but I would like to encourage men to come and support the festival too. The themes tackled in these productions are important to all of us, and the stories are universal. Let us all go out and celebrate, support and empower women this month of August!
I wish you all a wonderful Women’s Humanity Arts Festival.
Marlene le Roux CEO Artscape
‘You strike a woman, you strike a rock!’ The resistance song symbolising the iconic women’s march of 9 August 1956 when more than 20 000 women said no the dompas for black women, still rings true today! On that historic day woman icons such as Sophie Williams de Bruyn, Lilian Ngoyi, Helen Joseph, leading from the front and united in diversity, took a bold stand against white domination and oppression.
Today their strong message still speaks loudly and clearly to all of us: women, men and children. With GBV on the rise, as a society we should make every effort to address and change cultural beliefs, religious practices, hurtful language and behaviour that continue to dehumanise and objectify women.
The Women’s Humanity Arts Festival embraces the LGBTQ A+ community. It is unacceptable that some of our best artists, who are called drag artists, are still not regarded as professional by many. ABFAB stories are about embracing yourself as a human being. The Women’s Humanity Arts Festival embraces persons with disability because their lives matter.
including the icons we are commemorating this year in collaboration with the legal fraternity who cel- ebrates 100 years of Women in Law as well as Cissie Gool, the first black woman advocate admitted to the Bar. We also celebrate internationally acclaimed writer Sindiwe Magona, well-known Langa born play wright Fatima Dike as well as the Langa 100 years project.
And so, the Humanity Walk calls on everyone of any gender or gender expression to walk in the foot- steps of greatness: of Krotoa, Fatima Dike, Cissie Gool, Sophie Williams De Bruyn, Winnie Mandela, Charlotte Maxeke, Helen Suzman, and reclaim our humanity once again.
Wathint’ abafazi, wathint’ imbokodo!
SHE HAD A NAME 365 (Exhibition)
Date: 1 – 30 August | Venue: Marble Extension Foyer
The sentence ‘She Had A Name’, carries the weight of acknowledging every murdered woman as a person, forcing us to look past the num- bers we see on the statistical crime sheets, reminding us that ‘She Had A Name’.
MY KROON SE KRANK
Date: 2, 3, 4 August @ 19h00; 5 August @ 15h00 | Venue: Arena Miss South Africa 2019, Zozibini Tunzi, has just been crowned as Miss Uni- verse and natural hair is more in than ever. Auntie Pat, a council member in the community, has to take new photos for her campaign and wants to follow the natural route. Roxanne, her baby, is busy opening a hair salon and also finding her roots, while confident Debbie begs them to be their natural selves. Three characters on a journey of renewal, repentance and one of new
beginnings. Even if it’s over. Even if it hurts. You’ve seen all three, but haven’t really heard from them, or really listened.
DOPE SAINT JUDE LIVE featuring MANILA VON TEEZ Date: 9 August @ 15h00 | Venue: Theatre
Dope Saint Jude will perform a special live show on Women’s Day at Artscape Supported by a live band made up of Giovanni Serci (drums), Antonio Cencherle (keys), Arianna Carini (guitar) and Jody Engelbrecht (Musical direction). This will be her first live band offering in South Africa in over 5 years. Long-time Dope Saint Jude collaborator and Drag Queen, Manila von Teez, will serve as the opening act of the show.
DO NOT FEAR THE PAST: A MOTHER’S GUIDANCE Date: 9 August @ 14h00 & 18h30 | Venue: Arena
A multidisciplinary collaboration led by Stanford associate professor of classics Grant Parker and music lecturer Marie-Louise Catsalis, Do Not Fear the Past examines the universal theme of a mother’s love for Women’s Day. A String Quartet led by Farida Bacharova will join with soprano Donita Volkwijn in a performance of Bongani Ndodana-Breen’s newly commissioned piece Do not fear the past,
which is based on Zuhura Seng’enge’s poem of the same title. Visual elements by Stanford alumna and artist Jordan Reist, and texts read by Stanford students, the performance begins with an oblique response to the death of Stanford alumna Amy Biehl (1967-93) during her stint as Fulbright fellow in Cape Town in the lead-up to the country’s first democratic election. Included in the programme is music with texts in isiXhosa, isiZulu, Afrikaans and English, featuring composers such as Le Roux Marais, Dvorak, Florence Price, Menotti, Harry T. Burleigh. We are delighted to be joined on stage by the Amy Foundation’s Choir from Bongolethu with their musical director, Nokuthula Sindambe, as solo mezzo-soprano.
Staff and students of the Amy Foundation as well as Stanford students in the university’s Bing Overseas Studies Program developed and workshopped Do Not Fear the Past in Cape Town during the summer of 2018. It was performed at Stanford University in 2022 and now returns full circle to Cape Town in 2023.
100% of box office takings will be given directly to the Amy Foundation Trust, South Africa.
ABFAB DRAG
Date: 11 &12 August @ 19h00 | Venue: Theatre
The annual hit, ABFAB DRAG, returns to Artscape with a bang on 11th and 12th August 2023. With fine feathers preened, false eyelashes fluttering and sequins glittering, the fiercely feminine/masculine are gathering to celebrate the world of
“lip sync”, with ambiguous seduction and gender identification. Cape Town has a scintillating DRAG tradition that dates back to the thirties, especially in vibrant
District Six. Today the pageants, the parties, the hairdressing salons, and the fabulous drag queen “balls” still flourish across the City. However, it’s often hosted in underground clubs, catering to a select few who know where to find them. ABFAB DRAG endeavours to put the crème de la crème of DRAG centre stage.
It features top class, DRAG divas Vida Fantabisher, SA’s Got Talent 2016 runner-up Manila von Teez, as well as Kat Gilardi, Jayde Kay Johnson and Angel Lalamore of drag cabaret group 3D Fame, all choreographed and put together with the sublime dancers of the Jazzart Dance Theatre. MC Soli Philander is no stranger to the Artscape Stage and will narrate you through this magical show. Basil Appollis stiches it all together and cracks the designer whip as director.
We boast with “SOLD OUT” houses in previous years so book early.
HE HAD IT COMING
Date: 14 – 19 August 2023 @19h30 | Venue: Arena
The same team that brought you My Fellow South Africans, combines to stage with He Had It Coming, another multi-sketch revue that this time focuses on gender-related themes. Ideal fare for August, a month which marks Women’s Day, the multi-talented Kim Blanche Adonis delivers another powerhouse performance of sketches, comedy, drama, poetry, song and physical theatre from the pen of Mike van Graan.
FMR Community Concert
Date: 27 August 2023 @15h00 | Venue: Guga S’thebe
The FMR Take Note Project is a series of monthly jazz concerts at Guga S’Thebe theatre in Langa. The project is funded by the MDDA (Media Development and Diversity Agency) and curated by the Cape Town Music Academy. It takes place every last Sunday of the month, starting at 15h00, and featuring a variety of local artists. Performing at our previous concerts were the Hilton Schilder Ghoema Club, the Mike Rossi Project, Fancy Galada and her Quartet, and Hassan’adas. The July concert will feature Kyle Shepherd, and the lineup for the August concert will be available soon. Fine Music Radio records the concerts for broadcast on the last Thursday of the following month, at 21h00 to midnight, of The Take Note series, presented by Saan Mahomed.
MESSAGES
PRODUCTIONS/EXHIBITIONS
FATIMA DIKE
An icon of South African theatre, 75 year-old multi-award-winning FATIMA DIKE is the first black South African woman to have had a play published.
On Saturday August 5th Artscape will be celebrating her life and massive contribution to the creative industry – against all odds.
Born in Langa in 1948, Fatima’s first groundbreaking play The Sacrifice of Kreli was written and performed in 1976 while she was volunteering at Cape Town’s legendary, multi-racial Space Theatre. Working alongside other famous thespians and artists, amongst them Barney Simon, Athol Fugard, Gcina Mhlope, James Matthews, Percy Sieff, Brian Astbury, Roy Sergeant, Thembi Mtshali-Jones, Thoko Ntshinga, she went on to write sev- eral more works and plays including The First South African in 1977, The Crafty Tortoise in 1978 and The Glass House in 1979. For several years she lived, studied and was well-recognised in the US. Together with the late Roy Sergeant and in conjunction with Artscape, she founded the Siyasa- nga Theatre Group in Langa and dedicated herself to work on their New
Writing Programme. Her work continues to inspire as she currently mentors upcoming playwrights as part of Inkcubeko noBugcisa. In this celebration of her life, she will be speaking to colleagues and friends, past and present about her “Life in The Theatre” and short excerpts from some of her plays will be performed.
FESTIVAL ICON
Milestones: Celebrating, Empowering, Supporting the Women of Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow
To look forward to a future of hope for young women, it is vital to look back at some of the women on whose shoulders they stand. The theme of this year Artscape’s Women’s Humanity Festival is MILESTONES:
Celebrating, Supporting and Empowering Women of Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow.
Milestones celebrated at the 2023 Artscape Women Humanity Arts Festival include:
200 – A leader in the promotion of inclusivity in all disciplines, Artscape honours the ISIXHOSA LANGUAGE first produced in written form in 1823 by what became known as the Lovedale Press.
100 – LANGA itself marks a century since the move to the ‘new township’. Whilst the creation of a township is not something to celebrate, Langa is the birthplace of many artists – among them the late Brenda Fassie and Fatima Dike.
100 – The legal profession of South Africa celebrates 100 years of ‘SISTERS IN LAW’ commemorating the centenary of the Act of 1923 allowing Women Legal Practitioners. 100more.org cites the many women who have broken barriers, amongst them CISSIE GOOL, advocate and the first ‘coloured’ woman law graduate,
‘the jewel of District Six’.
80 – The life of internationally-acclaimed writer Dr Sindiwe Magona, marked with the launch of two books.
75 – The life of Langa-born veteran playwright FATIMA DIKE – with over fifty years in the industry she con- tinues to be an inspiration to a generation of theatre-makers. She is the first black South African woman to have a play published and performed.
50 – A jewel in the Artscape crown, JAZZART, the contemporary dance and development studio was found- ed in 1973 by Sonje Mayo. Since inception this award-winning company has impacted the arts in South Africa by working with dancers from across the racial spectrum.
30 – The death of AMY BIEHL, American Fulbright scholar and anti-apartheid activist murdered in 1993 is honoured by the ongoing work of the Amy Foundation – production/performance.
15 – Each year the Women’s Humanity Walk, a focus of the Festival, is blessed by women leaders of different faiths.
